The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing voice data for use in a variety of voice applications such as conversion of voice data into text data.
There is an ever-increasing need for improved productivity in a wide variety of professions. In those professions where productivity is particularly crucial, many professionals make use of techniques for converting voice data into text data. By relieving the professionals of having to enter keystrokes using a keyboard, these professionals are able to devote their time and energy to higher valued uses. In addition, freeing these professionals from the keyboard is important in many professions that require significant traveling or fieldwork.
Historically, the conversion of voice data to text data has been accomplished using a manual process. This process requires the professional to dictate, sometimes using a small recorder to capture their voice to tape or to dictate directly to a skilled assistant. The skilled assistant then transcribes or types entering this information into a word processing system to convert the voice information either on tape or directly spoken to the assistant to create this text data or text document.
More recently, speech to text applications have evolved, which convert spoken language into text form which is then made accessible to the user in some form of a word processing system. Some examples of the implementation of voice recognition technology are Dragon™ (a product of Scansoft) and ViaVoice™ (a product of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)).
Each of these techniques for converting voice data to text data has strengths and weaknesses. Manual transcription can be very accurate but tends to be expensive. In contrast, the speech to text applications tend to be relatively inexpensive but this technique tends to be less accurate than manual transcription.
The conversion of speech to text is used in a wide variety of applications. Some of these applications include medical applications where physicians must document examinations for ongoing clinical care. Because of the large number of patients, a typical doctor is required to see everyday, physicians frequently dictate notes regarding patient care. In addition, physicians frequently dictate e-mails to other physicians as well as e-mails to patients. Another application where conversion of speech to text is frequently used is in legal applications. Frequently, lawyers dictate letters and memos as well as substantive legal documents, such as agreements and legal briefs to save time.
There is an ever present need for systems to handle the conversion of voice data to text data in a flexible manner that allows use of a technique for converting voice data into text data that is well suited for the particular application. In addition, these systems for converting voice data to text data should be cost effective and seamless for the user so as to provide ease of use. Finally, these systems should be capable of providing conversion of speech data to text data in a rapid fashion, when required by the application.